The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-01

"Isn't that the next street to your
own?',
sit amt furder."
"Why, then, you can see her very
often" 1 argued. at isn't as though
she were to be taken from Washington.
You mustn't lose heart, Uncle Abe, so
long as the child is hardly out of arm s
reach. Aunt Della, L rely on you to
help him look at the matter more
calmly"
81 kaintr' moaned Della, at the
window. 'Pears like nobody knows
how I lub-'Lizy, you mizzable little
scamp, git outer dem raisins! No,
don't; you take dem raisins; take any
ting! My gracious goodness, 1 KANT
let her go way fun mel"
The bright and saucy face of little
Eliza peered out at me from the win
dow, as Della ended her mingled
''scold' and lament. The chih's
chubby hands were filled with raisins.
She held them up to me triumphantly.
tinker Abe'll pay 90 for zese,
Mis'er WILL" she said with mischiev-
Gus nod and smile. IF he don't,
Aunt Dely'n sap him. Tinker Abe!
Tinker Aber' she cried. "come see my
cubby-house in the cellar
Eyes, chile" was Uncle Abe's re-
ply. 'Marse VIII, he turned
mournfully to me-'.it's jes' s'if she
wa gwinter move away. Wen dat
baby's once out oh our sight, der's no
tellin' whar she is. OATS de way We
feel bout lettin' her go. She mout's
well be in Souf Ameriky as ter be one
street off We want her wild us. whar
we kin find her."
l must own that the sympathy which
l felt for the old couple came very near
binding me, at that moment, to the
ethics of question. On our removal to
Washington, two years before, we had
employed the husband and wife, on the
earnest recommendation of trusted
friends; and the faithful service which
they had rendered, not to mention the
sterling character of which they hourly
showed themselves possessed, had in
spired in US a very deep interest in
their welfare.
Every morning at breakfast-for our
friends, should have said, returned to
their own home at night, remaining
with US during the day only-Delia
favored us with the neighborhood
gossip of Noah's triumphal progress to-
ward his baby.
Regularly her bulletin ran: "Noah's
bought chany set;" dat chile's
gwinter hev Sunday silk dress dat'll
stan alone;" ''Noah lows he gwinter
mex flower-gyarden mex yeah;" Il see
Miss Riggs, an she say Noah done
pucchase a goat"
1t was evident that Della was accom-
modating herself to the inevitable.
Every bit of news was given with a
more eXultant accent than had marked
the delivery of the preceding one. AS
for Abe, he regarded his wife with an
injured expression, so often as she
made remark of this sort, shaking his
head and signing dismally.
By the Tuesday preceding the day
on VIII ch Noah was to claim his baby,
Delia had arrived at a state of perfect
contcntnien:, while Abe had grown TO
wear such 4 look of bereavement as
M nt beiit one who had lost every
friend.
on that very day little Eliza mysteri-
ousiy disappeared!
From Delia's disconnected and tear
full narrative l gathered that she had
worked happily alone in the kitchen
all the forenoon, supposing that the
child was with Abe in the cellar. When
he came for his dinner at noon, she
learned that Eliza had gone upstairs,
"to find Aunt DEFY" several hours be-
fore. Neither at that time nor since
had my wife or Della seen her.
The only course to be pursued was to
give the case to the police, and this l
did at once. The distracted father, on
learning the circumstance. employed
additional detectives. All that long
midsummer night Noah and l haunted
the station-houses for news of the lost
child. None came. We were assured
that the chances were that she would
be found; but she was not, and we re-
turned home weary and heart-sick.
My wife, worn out by sympathetic
sorrow, had retired for few hours of
needed rest. Abe and Della lacked the
courage to return to their little home,
where every object brought to their
minds the absent one. Aunt Della,
stretched upon her gorgeously covered
''restin' longe," as she called it,
moaned and wept. Uncle Abe, his feet
on top of the range, alternately fixed
his gaze upon his wife and his blue
socks, at no time. manifesting violent
emotion.
Dye fin her?" he asked, listlessly,
as we entered. 81 didn't spec We
would" he went on, gathering from
our countenances that the search had
been fruitless one; "'taint't time.
She's all right. Oar amt no call to
howl yit, l reckon"
The tone in which this was said
might have indicated that Abe knew
more than he wished to tell, and that
he had good reasons for his confidence
in the child's safety. Fatigued as we
were, however, niceties of emphasis or
meaning were lost on u.s.
When, several hours later, awaken
ed from troubled sleep and prepared
for my work of the day, the situation
was unchanged. There was still no